Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Admin’s Mass Firings of Federal Workers

Plaintiffs claim the president exceeded his authority by ordering agency layoffs without Congress approval.

A federal worker (R), who lost her job gets help carrying some of her belongings from her office at the Mary E. Switzer Memorial Building that houses the US Department of Health and Human Services, in Washington on April 1, 2025. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

A federal judge on May 9 temporarily blocked the Trump administration from carrying out large-scale workforce reductions and reorganization plans across government agencies.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston sided with a group of labor unions, non-profit organizations, and local governments, who argued that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority when he issued an executive order directing agency leaders to initiate large-scale “reductions in force” without getting approval from Congress.

In a 42-page ruling, Illston issued a temporary restraining order that will block the implementation of Trump’s order for two weeks, stating that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail on the merits of their claims.

“It is the prerogative of presidents to pursue new policy priorities and to imprint their stamp on the federal government. But to make large-scale overhauls of federal agencies, any president must enlist the help of his co-equal branch and partner, the Congress,” the judge stated.

Illson said that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) do not have statutory power to direct other federal agencies to conduct large-scale staff terminations and restructuring.

The order applies to multiple federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.

Lawyers for the government have argued that Trump’s executive order and OPM’s memo calling for large-scale personnel reductions and reorganization plans provided only general principles that agencies should follow in exercising their own decision-making process.

“It expressly invites comments and proposals for legislative engagement as part of policies that those agencies wish to implement,” Eric Hamilton, a deputy assistant attorney general, said of the memo. “It is setting out guidance.”

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the American Federation of Government Employees, Alliance for Retired Americans, American Public Health Association, Center for Taxpayer Rights, and the cities and counties in California, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington.

The coalition said in a statement released by Democracy Forward, the nonprofit legal organization representing the plaintiffs, that the government’s actions would disrupt critical services.

“The Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation,” they stated. “We are gratified by the court’s decision today to pause these harmful actions while our case proceeds.”

Some of the labor unions and nonprofit groups are also plaintiffs in another lawsuit before a San Francisco judge challenging the mass firings of probationary workers. In that case, Judge William Alsup ordered the government in March to reinstate those workers, but the Supreme Court later blocked his order.

Since the start of the Trump administration on Jan. 20, thousands of government employees have been laid off at a multitude of agencies, while others have opted to leave under a buyout from the Trump administration. Those layoffs, in part, occurred as the DOGE, led by Elon Musk, is attempting to identify and root out fraud and waste from the federal government.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.